Plate XXI. Vol II facing p.109. And now to this side, now to that they nod? As Verse or Prose infuse the drowsy God?. HIG BOOK II. IGH on a gorgeous feat, that far out-fhone REMARKS. n; TWO things there are, upon the fuppofition of which the very bafis of all verbal criticism is founded and fupported: The first, that an Author could never fail to ufe the beft word on every occafion the fecond, that a Critic cannot chufe but know which that is. This being granted, whenever any word doth not fully content us, we take upon us to conclude, firft, that the author could never have used it; and, fecondly, that he must have ufed that very one, which we conjecture, in its ftead. We cannot, therefore, enough admire the learned Scriblerus for his alteration of the text in the two laft verfes of the preceding book, which in all the former editions ftood thus: Hoarfe thunder to its bottom fhook the bog, And the loud nation croak'd, God fave king Log. He has, with great judgment, tranfpofed these two epithets; putting boarfe to the nation, and loud to the thunder: And this being evidently the true reading, he vouchfafed not fo much as to mention the former; for which affertion of the juft right of a Critic, he merits the acknowledgment of all found Commentators. VER. 2. Henley's gilt tub,] The pulpit of a Diffenter is ufually called a tub; but that of Mr. Orator Henley was covered with velvet, and adorned with gold. He had alfo a fair altar, and over it this extraordinary infcription, The Primitive Eucharift. See the hiftory of this perfon, book iii. 4 Ibid. or Fleckno's Irish throne,] Richard Fleckno was an Irish prieft, but had laid afide (as himfelf expreffed it) the mechanic part of priesthood. He printed fome plays, poems, letters, and travels. I doubt not, our author took occafion to mention him in refpect to the Poem of Mr. Dryden, to which this bears fome refemblance, though of a character more different from it than that of the IMITATION S. VER. 1. High on a gorgeous feat,] Parody of Milton, book ii. "High on a throne of royal ftate, that far "Outfhone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, Plate XXI. Vol M.facing p.109. And now to this side, now to that they nod?, As Verse or Prose infuse the drowsy God 2. BOOK II. IGH on a gorgeous feat, that far out-shone HIGH Henley's gilt tub, or Fleckno's Irish throne, REMARKS. TWO things there are, upon the fuppofition of which the very bafis of all verbal criticism is founded and fupported: The first, that an Author could never fail to use the beft word on every occafion; the fecond, that a Critic cannot chuse but know which that is. This being granted, whenever any word doth not fully content us, we take upon us to conclude, first, that the author could never have used it ; and, fecondly, that he must have used that very one, which we conjecture, in its ftead. We cannot, therefore, enough admire the learned Scriblerus for his alteration of the text in the two laft verses of the preceding book, which in all the former editions ftood thus: Hoarse thunder to its bottom shook the bog, And the loud nation croak'd, God fave king Log. He has, with great judgment, tranfpofed these two epithets; putting boarfe to the nation, and loud to the thunder: And this being evidently the true reading, he vouchsafed not so much as to mention the former; for which affertion of the just right of a Critic, he merits the acknowledgment of all found Commentators. VER. 2. Henley's gilt tub,] The pulpit of a Diffenter is ufually called a tub; but that of Mr. Orator Henley was covered with velvet, and adorned with gold. He had also a fair altar, and over it this extraordinary infcription, The Primitive Eucharift. See the hiftory of this perfon, book iii. Ibid. or Fleckno's Irish throne,] Richard Fleckno was an Irish prieft, but had laid afide (as himself expreffed it) the mechanic part of priesthood. He printed fome plays, poems, letters, and travels. I doubt not, our author took occafion to mention him in respect to the Poem of Mr. Dryden, to which this bears some resemblance, though of a character more different from it than that of the IMITATION S. VER. 1. High on a gorgeous feat,] Parody of Milton, book ii. "High on a throne of royal state, that far "Outfbone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, 5 Or that where on her Curls the Public pours, REMARKS. Ancid from the Iliad, or the Lutrin of Boileau from the Defait de Bouts rimes of Sarazin. It may be just worth mentioning, that the Eminence from whence the ancient Sophifts entertained their auditors, was called by the pompous name of a Throne ; —ἐπὶ θρόνω τινὸς ὑψηλῶ μάλα σοφισικώς nal Caps. Themiftius, Orat. i. VER. 3. Or that where on her Curls the Public pours,] EdmundCurl ftood in the pillory at Charing-crofs, in March 1727-8. "This "(faith Edmund Curl) is a falfe Affertion-I had indeed the corpo"ral punishment of what the Gentlemen of the long Robe are pleafed "jocofely to call mounting the Roftrum for one hour: but that fcene "of action was not in the month of March, but in February." [Curliad, 12mo, p. 19.] And of the Hiftory of his being toft in a Blanket, he faith," Here, Scriblerus! thou leefeth in what thou af ferteft concerning the blanket: it was not a blanket, but a rug." p. 25. Much in the fame manner Mr. Cibber remonstrated, that his Brothers, at Bedlam, mentioned Book i. were not Brassen, but Blocks; yet our author let it pass unaltered, as a trifle that no way altered the relationship. We should think (gentle Reader) that we but ill performed our part, if we corrected not as well our own errors now, as formerly thofe of the Printer. Since what moved us to this Work, was folely the Love of Truth, not in the least any Vain-glory, or Defire to con tend with Great Authors. And further, our mistakes, we conceive, will the rather be pardoned, as scarce poffible to be avoided in writing of fuch Perfons and Works as do ever fhun the Light. However, that we may not any way soften or extenuate the fame, we give them thee. in the very words of our Antagonists: not defending, but retracting them from our heart, and craving excufe of the Parties offended: For furely in this Work, it hath been above all things our defire, to provoke në Man. SCRIBL. |
